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Is MMJ Card Processing Right for Your Dispensary? Rates, POS & Contract Terms

Updated: September 21, 2025

Maintained Since: May 18, 2018

We take our role in providing guidance and education regarding the card payment industry very seriously. At our own expense, we have vigorously defended our right to continue expose unethical and predatory practices in the industry, successfully defeating every attempt to silence us. However, fending off frivolous lawsuits is costly. To sustain these efforts, one of the ways we generate revenue is through affiliate partnerships with ethical providers. This means that some of our outgoing links connect business owners to trustworthy, low-cost payment processors, which is what most of our readers seek. We see this revenue channel as a win-win-win for everyone involved. Business owners find good processors, processors get good clients, and we are able to continue to provide a valuable service to the small business community. We also recommend and link to many services that do not compensate us. Our priority is to guide you to the best solutions for your needs, regardless of potential revenue. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us.

All mentions of rate and fee costs are estimations based on publicly available information and client feedback. Actual costs may vary based on a variety of factors unique to your business.

MMJ Card Processing

Rating

4.8/5

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Pros

Detailed transaction records.

Secure transactions.

Increased sales potential.

Convenient for customers.

Streamlined processing.

Compliance with regulations.

Cons

Strict regulatory compliance.

Higher processing fees.

Legal complexity.

Limited banking options.

Potential security risks.

Stigma-related challenges.

Note: As of 2022, it appears MMJ Card Processing has rebranded as CannaPay. We will be providing a new profile for CannaPay soon.

Overview

In this review of MMJ Card Processing, we provide a detailed look at the company’s credit card processing services designed for the medical marijuana industry. We cover their offerings, including point-of-sale (POS) systems, mobile payment solutions, and e-commerce capabilities, while noting which types of cannabis businesses may benefit most. The review also examines customer feedback to highlight common themes and concerns, along with details on pricing, contract terms, and specific features. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of whether MMJ Card Processing is the right fit for your payment processing needs in the medical marijuana sector.

About MMJ Card Processing

Screen Capture of CannaPay — CannaPay Homepage

Founded in 2014 and based in Encino, California, MMJ Card Processing is a merchant services provider specializing in high-risk payment solutions for the cannabis industry. Operating under Strategic Merchant Partners, the company offers services including credit and debit card processing, ACH transfers, mobile payments, and point-of-sale systems tailored for dispensaries, CBD retailers, and related businesses. MMJ Card Processing claims to facilitate transactions through domestic banking channels, a notable feature given the federal restrictions on cannabis-related payments. In 2022, the company rebranded as CannaPay, continuing its focus on compliant payment solutions for cannabis enterprises. While public reviews are limited, available feedback indicates a demand for reliable processing in this niche sector.

Customer Reviews & Sentiment

Low Complaint Total

We have identified a small number of MMJ Card Processing complaints, but none categorize the company as a ripoff or scam. Two notable complaints include issues regarding undisclosed Harbortouch fees and another citing high setup fees and unsatisfactory customer service. The latter complaint specifically mentioned a delayed response to refund requests, raising concerns about the effectiveness of their customer service. Despite these issues, the relatively low volume of complaints overall allows MMJ Card Processing to maintain an “A” rating in this category for the time being. We welcome any additional feedback or complaints about MMJ Card Processing in the comments below.

MMJ Card Processing Lawsuits and Fines

No outstanding class-action lawsuits or Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaints have been discovered against MMJ Card Processing. Merchants looking for non-litigious resolution methods are advised to consider reporting their issues to relevant supervisory organizations.

Industry Scores & User Ratings

Online Ratings Summary
PaymentPop	5
BBB	N/A

PaymentPop Rating for MMJ Card Processing

Negative Feedback

There are no negative reviews published about MMJ Card Processing on the PaymentPop website.

Positive Feedback

MMJ Card Processing provided the kind of support that’s hard to find in this space. They understood the specific compliance needs of our industry and walked us through the setup step by step. Since launch, our transactions have gone through without any hiccups.

MMJ Card Processing BBB Rating

The Better Business Bureau does not maintain a profile for MMJ Card Processing at this time, but it does maintain a profile for Strategic Merchant Partners. Strategic Merchant Partners currently has a “A+” rating and is not BBB-accredited. The company has received 0 complaints in the past 36 months.

An “A” Performance

Although this profile is not specifically for MMJ Card Processing, Strategic Merchant Partners appears to share an address and ownership with MMJ Card Processing. We consider this profile to be a relevant document of the service that MMJ Card Processing provides. We agree with the BBB’s rating after taking into consideration the company’s low overall complaint total.

Processing Rates & Fees

Variable Contract Terms

Information about MMJ Card Processing’s rates and contract terms is scarce, as the company does not publicly share its pricing or contractual details online. One merchant complaint highlights a setup fee of $299, considered high within the industry, alongside mentions of quarterly, annual, and add-on fees related to Harbortouch services. Given the high-risk nature of dispensaries, MMJ Card Processing likely offers variable contract terms, with a per-transaction fee potentially exceeding 5%. Merchants might also face additional obligations such as cash reserves and extended equipment leases.

Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Pricing

MMJ Card Processing highlights its virtual terminal and payment gateway services on its website but does not provide specific pricing details. Businesses utilizing these e-commerce services can expect additional charges, including gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and further transaction rates.

Higher-Than-Average Pricing

While the identified setup fee of $299 is notably high for the industry, assessing MMJ Card Processing’s competitiveness solely based on this fee is not comprehensive. Credit card processing services for marijuana dispensaries inherently carry higher prices due to the ongoing conflict with Visa/MasterCard regulations. Consequently, MMJ Card Processing is awarded an “A” in this category, with a note that the overall pricing might not be as competitive. We welcome any additional information on the company’s pricing, including details about any early termination fees or PCI compliance fees, to be shared in the comments section below.

Merchants are also encouraged to review our selection of thetop merchant account providers for potentially more favorable terms and rates.

Employee Reviews & Sales Practices

In-House Sales Team

MMJ Card Processing appears to be a small operation that relies primarily on digital advertising and referrals to market its services. There is no evidence that the company employs a large team of independently contracted sales agents at this time, and we are able to locate only one MMJ Card Processing complaint that describes nondisclosure of fees by sales representatives. This complaint was filed in relation to MMJ Card Processing’s contract terms through Harbortouch, which included quarterly, annual, and add-on fees that the merchant claimed were never mentioned. It is unlikely that MMJ Card Processing currently uses Harbortouch as its marijuana merchant account provider, so this issue may not be applicable to this particular brand.

In general, this compares favorably to our list ofbest credit card processors.

Domestic Banking Claim

MMJ Card Processing’s claim that it can process payments through a domestic bank requires either a close relationship with a bank employee who is willing to look the other way or the intentional miscoding of a merchant’s business type. Both approaches are risky and unstable, so it’s rare to see a credit card processor openly advertise this service. However, we have seen no complaints that suggest that MMJ Card Processing’s claims about this issue are misleading. If you need a professional review of MMJ Card Processing’s contract terms, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit.

MMJ Card Processing Competitors

Compare MMJ Card Processing to competitors that earned top marks.

Pricing

Bottom Line

MMJ Card Processing rates as a reliable marijuana merchant account provider at this time. This high rating is largely attributed to the absence of significant negative feedback rather than an overwhelming abundance of positive reviews. While this suggests a general level of customer satisfaction, it also indicates that there may not be enough comprehensive data to fully evaluate the company’s performance and reliability.

We lack detailed information about MMJ Card Processing’s contract terms, which is a critical aspect for any merchant to consider when selecting a service provider. We have encountered a handful of negative reviews concerning the company’s customer service, suggesting potential areas for improvement. Merchants who specialize in selling marijuana products without THC content, such as hemp and CBD products, might find better options among providers specifically tailored to their needs. These specialized providers could offer more favorable terms and dedicated support for their unique business requirements. As always, we recommend merchants thoroughly review all available options and contract details to ensure they choose the best possible provider for their specific needs.

Read Actual User Reviews

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All user reviews have been moved to our partner, PaymentPop.com

Contact MMJ Card Processing

Contact & Customer Support
CEO	Vince Ferro
Address	1434 Dorset Avenue Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

About Us

CardPaymentOptions.com

Established 2009

My name is Phillip Parker, and I started this website back in 2009 as a simple blog to call out shady credit card processors that were taking advantage of small business owners. At the time, I had no idea this side project would grow into a leading voice pushing for transparency and integrity in the payment processing industry. I also didn't anticipate just how far some of these companies' owners would go to try to silence me.

I was recruited out of college for a sales role with a credit card processor. At the time, I didn't realize the “training” was really about tricking me... into selling business owners expensive processing with hidden fees and long-term service agreements. In my first few sales, I unknowingly cost friends and family thousands of dollars after they trusted me to switch their services. When it finally clicked that something was seriously wrong, I was furious. I quit immediately and made a promise to expose that company and any others operating the same way. That promise is what led to the creation of this website.

As I wrote about these processors, their tactics, and the people behind them, the articles started to spread among business owners. News organizations picked up the stories, readers shared them online, and traffic to the blog took off. Unsurprisingly, that also caught the attention of the companies and individuals I was exposing.

Over the last 17 years, I've received several anonymous death threats and defeated four lawsuits meant to intimidate me into taking my blog down. Their efforts to muzzle me only made my determination to expose them even stronger, leading me to work with state authorities to help shutdown some of the worst offenders.

I'm proud to say that of the millions of people who have read my work, thousands have taken the time to write and thank me for helping them narrowly avoid a very costly mistake. This blog has played a small role in pushing the industry toward more ethical practices - but there are still bad actors out there, which means the work isn't done.

If I can offer one piece of advice, it's this: get every promise in writing, and take the time to review contracts carefully. Tools like ChatGPT can help surface red flags and uncover expensive surprises buried in the fine print.

If you've made it this far, thank you for reading. I truly appreciate you being here, and I wish you every success with your business.

Our Research Methodology

Pricing & Fees

We analyze all costs including rate structures (interchange-plus, tiered, flat-rate, etc), monthly fees, equipment costs, early termination fees, and hidden charges. This data is gathered from service agreements, statements and client feedback.

Features & Technology

Evaluation of POS systems, e-commerce integrations, mobile capabilities, reporting tools, recurring billing..., and developer resources. When possible, we directly test services and hardware. Otherwise, we rely on client feedback and public information.

Customer Support

We evaluate availability across phone, email, chat, and social channels. Measuring hold times, night and weekend availability, and client feedback regarding effectiveness, professionalism, and resolution rates.

Contract Terms & Conditions

We review service agreements and equipment contracts for reasonability, transparency, and fairness. We focus on uncovering any predatory clauses, such as unjustified early termination fees, hidden costs, and unclear cancellation policies.

User Experience

We comb the internet and interview current and former clients to evaluate the overall user experience and identify any common pain points that may impact the user experience.

Sales & Marketing Practices

We evaluate sales tactics, marketing materials, and client feedback to determine the level of transparency and ethical nature of the provider's approach. Does the provider publicly disclose pricing? Do they use teaser rates? We score based on these and other factors.

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